I tried climbing in beginner climbing shoes

In this weeks video, I head for a bouldering session at the Depot Climbing Sheffield...in rental shoes. Climbing shoes are pretty individual and there's a lot on the market to choose from, but how much difference does a performance fit actually make?
I decided to try out my climbing gyms rental shoes to test how much a beginner shoe effected my performance on the wall. How did I get on wearing the 'beginner climbing shoes' for a whole session, and would I recommend it to other climbers?
Shoes features:
( my current shoe) La Sportiva Skwama: bit.ly/3rnTTsq
Scarpa Force
www.ukclimbing.com/gear/footw...
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[@taitloyek7980]

My greatest lifetime achievement is sending a v5 in crocs though they were in safety mode

[@CaptainBrash]

There are people who run marathons in crocs too. Very versatile footwear xD

[@mndyD9]

Wish I could see someone do that!

[@meh6513]

Crocs are full rubber and allow you place your weight on toes instead the front stump/empty air space Infront your toes that running shoes/horse riding shoes have and Crocs don't... Charles Albert can toe hook and heel hook barefooted so as long as Crocs aren't worse than barefooted you can climb 8c+/v16

[@bbd1254]

Sport mode 😎

[@mikemarcus7442]

One detail to point out here is that The Depot has a much better quality of rental shoe than most climbing centres. I’d be interested to see a similar test wearing Boreal J4R or those ones with the red rubber soles (can’t remember what they are).

[@AstrumG2V]

I wanna see someone try to climb V6 on those madrock rentals with the grey rubber soles, they're horrendous xD

[@meganjohnson998]

@@AstrumG2V ah those are the ones my gym has- the rubber quality is just dismal (thought they do well at their purpose: not getting worn down quickly)

[@SunnyMorningPancakes]

I've seen some pretty impressive climbing in the sad blue 'evolve' shoes at my gym. I wonder though is it the rental shoe itself that is the problem or is it that they are being used and abused more frequently than personal climbing shoes?

[@floz9718]

Right? These rental shoes look very good - which kinda defeats the purpose of the video. I've just bought my first climbing shoe because I finally got fed up with not trusting my shoes to hold. But these rental shoes look like they have a pretty good rubber providing a lot of grip. The rental shoes they have at my local gym have horrible grip and pretty much no structural integrity, so they really limit your ability to climb anything that requires you to trust the grip of your shoes - since you simply can't, you will slip... if I had these kind of rental shoes, I probably still wouldn't own personal ones lol😅

[@emilyjade896]

My gym has butora rentals and they are easily the thickest, chunkiest, stiffest rentals I've ever seen

[@peterdyszel2382]

Those are particularly good rental shoes to have. I think this video is more towards how flat shoes versus aggressive shoes perform on particular holds. A lot of the foot placements you used were on flat/smeary foot holds/volumes, and flat shoes allow for more ankle flexion and surface contact in this situation. I've had multiple instances where a foot hold felt better in my approach shoes versus aggressive climbing shoes which goes to show that rubber isn't always the main factor.

[@c_beno3416]

Yeah they are nowhere near the rentals shoes they give at other gyms haha

[@cajuallyponk6035]

I'm like, those are pretty much the shoes people around upgrade into from rental shoes.

[@janaminerva]

Those look really decent for rental shoes! I'm not surprised you did well in them :) Personally, I really love a comfy shoe. I climb almost everything in La Sportiva Finales, which many would consider a beginners' shoe (and I'm climbing on a similar level as you). I believe having a less "performative" shoe really does make you focus on your footwork more, so ultimately I get better technique out of it. And they're painless and I can leave them on all session without messing up my feet, it's great :D

[@tophmyster]

Finales are fantastic, I still use them as my "warm-up" shoe, basically for anything that isn't my max when bouldering or a send attempt on my lead projects. That's when the performance shoes come out. They're just such a work-horse pair of shoes

[@bemde]

La Sportiva Finale crew here :D I love them! But if those fit you well, would you have any recommendation for a "more advanced" shoe with a differend fit? It would be nice to have the option to change for more overhanging /toe-hook-heavy routes :)

[@janaminerva]

@@bemde The "advanced" shoe I use (mostly when I need to toe hook things) is the Scarpa Furia Air. They're about the softest shoe you can get, which means they're super comfy but also don't offer a lot of support. Kinda opposite to the Finales in that regard. Personally I have pretty strong toes (and mostly climb indoors), so I don't mind, but I know they don't work for everyone because of that... They fit like a sock though :)

[@Ericxnugz]

Yeah dude I love the finales ! Got my first 5.12 today right out of the box with them! Stoked

[@xtianeroc]

The shoes don’t make the climber. They’re an accessory, highlighting your best and worse traits. Different shoes have different attributes and suit different styles of climbing and bodies. The most important thing, I believe, is to be comfortable in them and to have the right size. Don’t overthink your choice of shoes! Cheers 🎉

[@chrisrugen]

This was great to see. I’ve had a similar experience, both for myself and watching others. It doesn’t matter much, except in your confidence, until you get up to technical climbs, where the margin for error/faking it disappears. Looking forward to your show video. Given the above, I’m most interested in what you look for outdoor vs indoor overall.

[@nilsp9426]

I guess this is the time for anatomical statements: do not let your shoes get into your head too much!

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Absolutely noticed the biggest impact rental shoes had on my climbing was only in my mind during this session!

[@justapenoindex]

especially not rental shoes, people prob put them in way worse places than just their heads...

[@chrisembryclimbing]

I think this shows the mental part of climbing. One gets comfortable in what they use and don't think to branch out and try other things, and when we are forced to, we assume what have is best and doubt creeps in. But this also shows that learning technique and footwork in the beginning and having a solid foundation is fundamental. Great job Hannah. Maybe go get some new shoes for 2nd pair. 😄 One thing I always notice is how precise you always are with your footwork, so the placement and replacement here I don't feel is any abnormal than what you do in your usual shoes. Looking at the yellow climb, yes some of it has to do with the shoe, but the majority seems to be confidence and commitment. Just my opinion and observation. Depending on your gym and what shoes they use, this shows that some gyms do care about their customers perception, but not all gyms have the budget to do Scarpas. So your gym experience may be different.

[@withakiwiontop]

This comes at the perfect time! I've been climbing for about a year now and I wondered for a while now wether I should invest in a better pair of climbing shoes. I bought a relatively cheap pair right at the beginning and didn't change anything since then. I remember that they felt worse than the rental shoes at the beginning though 😄 It took a lot of sessions to learn to trust my feet and even use them in a more strategic way. I feel like I'm still at such a low level that it's not the shoes that make the difference. I'm still only dipping my toes into steeper overhang climbs as I barely have the strength to keep me up, and I struggle with route-reading and technique. Long story short: I'm not sure wether it's worth it to invest in high quality climbing shoes when I have so much more to work on. Like - you can't buy technique or trust in your feet 😄 Plus I feel like I barely know what kind of shoe I'd need. So if you're already planning a video on choosing a climbing shoe, that's awesome! What would interest me most is what style of climbing or what functions different kinds of shoes are meant for. I remember a video by Louis where he explained all kinds of different features a shoe can have, but it didn't really help me deciding on what I actually need 😄 Why are your shoes bent instead of flat for example - what difference does it make in your climbing? A guide for this would be so helpful! As always: Love your videos and your calm, relentless and reassuring personality, love your video ideas and hope you are well! :) Love from Germany Jess 🤗🌻

[@wacozacko89]

I found a quality pair second hand and they’ve improved my confidence on small holds dramatically! Best to try on different styles in-store then see if you can pick them up discounted elsewhere

[@boyinred34]

would strongly recommend talking with a stronger friend or someone who works at your gym. Also Zacks suggestion is very solid as well

[@flip_lange]

Wow! Those are some really good rentals. No wonder there wasn’t such a big difference. Personally, I never go to the gym with just one pair of shoes. I have a “warm-up” pair of scarpa veloces, which I use for all easy climbing and also for hard climbing on volumes. The performance shoes only come on when I have to do toe hooks, climb on tiny footholds, on steep boards, or outdoors, where the soft “rubber socks” become less useful. It’s not like one shoe is better than the other in all scenarios, it’s more like every climbing shoe has a purpose where they shine and outperform other models. Sometimes this is related to smearing or hooking or standing on tiny footholds and sometimes it’s just that they are comfier and you don’t have to take them off all the time! Cool video by the way, really enjoyed it 🙏

[@Kazner0h]

As someone new to climbing, your videos have always been very approachable and thoughtful. They're a wonderful resource! Also: You're so strong!!! Watching you pull yourself up on that first purple was amazing.

[@RobDHamilton]

When I started climbing I always found that as I had to put more and more power through a foot, I'd have less and less trust a rental shoe was going to stick, to the point I wouldn't try moves. I always put that down to the fact that I'm a bit of a bigger guy, so the rubber was being asked to do quite a bit more. I wonder with your climbing though if because you knew you were in a rental, and you didn't really trust it, it made you hyper aware of your feet and foot placement on the wall. Where in your own shoes you might just trust the shoe to make up for a not 100% placement. All that said, I remember being at Parthain Reading and seeing an instructor climbing a 6a+ auto belay in a pair of converse... I think the ability of the climber is the overriding thing, and the shoe is the last 2-3%. Props for a great video and great climbing as always.

[@saisaivipa]

An instructor at my gym showed some moves on a V3-V4 in Crocs! 😂

[@RobDHamilton]

@@saisaivipa Love an instructor climbing stuff I can't get close to in wildly inappropriate footwear.

[@khakicam5400]

Paul Robinson cruised up a v9 in his skate shoes in a video I watched the other day

[@lightwhipr]

Great video, and fun to see Hannah bamboozled by a pair of shoes after topping the purple. Plus, although wearing socks absolutely nailing the session! I’m closing the laptop and off to depot.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Have a great session at the Depot! 😎😎

[@Dave1507]

Whoohoo, even a Janja-flick in rentals, and you stuck it! Very cool video once again Hannah!

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Yay! Thank you! That Janja flick purple is my current favourite in the gym! :)

[@mariloukenny4113]

I am not surprised you liked the heel hook with the rentals. I have otaki's and skwama's and I feel the heels are not sensitive enough. They are so hard. I can't feel anything with them. When I need something better, I always reach for my Five Ten NIAD. Flat shoes are underestimated sometimes.

[@juliogallo7694]

Jesus. I wish my gym had scarpa force as a rental shoe. These are quite good shoes. Not an accurate representation of the garbage rental shoes at most gyms. That being said, you absolutely smashed it for this video. Loved the confidence!

[@real_schwa]

Scarpa Force. Those specific shoes just look like a quality pair of climbing shoes. Some rentals can be very dubious, but those look just plain good. In the video when you're on an edge standing on your toes, the shoes look like they keep their form and stay stiff. Fun video!

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

They were a real surprise! Not a bad shoe at all and a great rental option.

[@niklasstg6957]

Its actually very rare. Many brands are producing cheap rental shoes. Even la sportiva has specific ones. So actual climbing shoes as rentals is interesting

[@hetistijmen]

I often use old broken shoes for training, and at home I climb barefoot. To me it seems different shoes have a different 'ceiling' depending on the type of hold and rock they're used on. Round shoes don't fit in pockets, bare feet don't have a much grip on slopers, and flat shoes can only wrap around a hold so much. As long as you don't run into this limit you can do most climbs in most shoes. I think the worst thing would be thick socks, but thin ones might be good training. Fun fact: my old work boots were amazing for toehooking volumes. The toe caps would wrap around the edge of the volume and 'bite' while the stiff ankle and heel plate helped keep my ankle flexed. Having a carbon fibre sole plate meant they also let me stand on anything above ~15 mm.

[@Acetatemonkey]

Hi Hannah, Another interesting post. Thanks. Re: shoes, I'm only doing V3s in 5:10 Anasazis. At what point should someone change up their shoe level. Clearly you show it's sometimes more a mental thing, but what level is a rough indicator that a more aggressive shoe would be worth it rather than a case of 'all the gear, no idea'? All the best, S

[@DJBelbe]

Great video, thank you! I have been sports climbing indoor and on rock in vibram five fingers for the past 6 months as i hate climbing shoes😂 but now we have a boulder gymn with minuscule toe chips and i just evolved to some outdoor routes that require edging on tinityny holds. Finally decided i need climbing shoes but can only afford one pair and cant decide on wich...

[@davidw789]

I would bet the more skillful you are (like professional climbers) the more the difference would show in harder and harder climbs, but for us mere mortals we should just give everything our best shot and seek to improve regardless of what's on our feet!

[@jaimseygirl2594]

Those are some shockingly nice rental shoes hahahaha. I have almost the exact pair of shoes (my first climbing shoes I purchased!) because the rentals at my local climbing gym are SO. BAD. Like hard rubber, impossible to wear without socks, terrible fit, etc. The only problem I've had with the shoes I own is that, with the lack of curve to the shoe and the lack of rubber on top of the toe, I have never successfully toe hooked on an overhang. Other than that, they've been great and a really affordable option to start climbing (I paid about 100 US dollars) and I've been able to climb up to V5/V6 in them. Great video, Hannah. :)

[@guillermosanchezdionis9475]

If you could investigate a bit about shoes for different type of feet (egyptian, roman, greek and flat, arched) that would be great. I have really flat feet and I've experienced that for me highly down-turned aggressive shoes are impossibly painful. Can you get high performance from something flatter like 5.10 Niad VCS?

[@joinwoo1]

I wonder how ur footwork changed in the rental stiff shoes and ur own soft shoes ?do u aware using different kind of force or direction to step on small holds? I just switch from beginner stiff full sole shoes to inter-beginner Soft half sole shoes ? Seems better feedback for me

[@riiiibu]

Oooh, that video about climbing shoes will be coming at a perfect time, I'm probably due for an upgrade from my beginner's shoes in a few months :). I guess my question would be: what are some pointers for upgrading from beginner's shoes to slightly more "advanced" shoes? It's fairly easy to get beginner's shoes, because you just go to a store and say "I'm a beginner, what shoes do I get?". But when you move on from those, all of a sudden there's so many options. What are some things to keep in mind/look for?

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

They are some great questions. I’ll make sure to have them answered for you in the shoe video we film! 😊

[@derelinque8064]

There's one mistake a lot of people do if they upgrade from beginner's shoes (me too) : way too tight shoes. They should NOT be painful, a bit uncomfortable is fine but not painful. Yes, some shoes stretch a bit, but don't buy your shoes with this in mind.You do not want to remove your shoes after every single boulder. If you can, ask some climber friends (with street size close to you) to try on their shoes. This way you can check out shoes, after their 'break in' phase.

[@TRD_Kyle]

Wish the gyms I've been in had that good of rentals! Wore a pair of the old grey soled evolvs when I was on vacation and they felt like ice skates on the wall. I feel like I have pretty good foot work and there were numerous foot holds that no matter how I changed the direction/amount of force they would not stick where I know my regular shoes would have. I've been considering getting some flat "beginner" shoes like Finales when my otakis die just as a basic gym/training shoe and still having my skwamas as my serious sending shoe. So many climbs up through v7/8 don't really need special shoes outside of just a decent rubber unless they are some serious tech moves or a roof climb where a bunch of toe rubber, down turns and tight heels really come into play.

[@BigDickMark]

I have the Finales and I like them. They were cheap on REI Outlet. I boulder V4 and toprope 5.11c in the gym. I definitely don't think my shoes are my limiting factor right now.

[@justapenoindex]

i know im quite late but just in case you are still looking for questions for your shoe video: i climbed like 5 times now and need to wear my rental shoes way bigger than i should because as soon as they are 'snug' in a comfortable way, my big toes hurt a lot when im getting on the wall. i get a presure point on the top of the toe (towards the inside) and it gets really painful, im afraid to fall etc. my question is: should i try leather shoes (i try to evade that so far because .. its leather) and soft soles so there is maybe less pressure on the toe? or should i get stiffer shoes so there is more support from underneath? could you try to show how your toes are bend inside the shoe so i can get a better idea of what to look for? anyway thanks for all your great videos, im picking up a lot of advice from your content. i especially like, how you give yourself the time to express thoughts you are having at that moment, it feels way less scripted than many other videos i see :)

[@tess2361]

Yeeesss, please make a climbing shoe guide. I am looking into buying new ones and I find it quite confusing to know which ones to pick.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Absolutely! Hoping to have something out in the next couple of weeks 😀

[@ElRammo]

I recently went out to LA and forgot my shoes, their rental shoes were horrific - brand Ive never heard of, insanely slick with a very poor inside edge it made climbing anything without great feet considerably harder. Seeing these Scarpas as rental shoes I’m wondering if these are just reasonable shoes? My local gym I’ve seen renting out Black Diamond Momentum’s which I climbed up to V5 in without issue.

[@Dave1507]

I just had another idea, maybe project something at your limit in rentals until you can top it, and then do the same boulder in your own shoes to see what changes. I think that could make for an interesting video.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Cool idea, I like it!

[@Dave1507]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering Just make sure they give you as good a pair as this time, otherwise you won't have much fun or success, I suspect.

[@justapenoindex]

@@Dave1507 after that session, i bet hannah took that pair home

[@4ksandknives]

The rental shoes in our gym are very very soft and minimal rubber. So they're comfy but have minimal tackiness and grip so better shoes does help, but don't forget technique!

[@HB-yc9xx]

I was struggling with that first red one last week - thanks for the beta! 😅

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Hope it works for you! 🤩

[@TheBigMe0w]

My (experienced boulderer) friend basically said the same. It's very possible to climb well with rental shoes when you have the technique down. As a beginner I have a hard time trusting my feet and slip off all the time - bc of poor placement or shifting my weight wrong etc. Trying on his shoes negated these weaknesses and I felt great and secure climbing

[@Epm21]

Really great video! I have always been dubious about rental shoes, but that's all in my head! unrelated question, what's the brand of the sweatshirt you're wearing at the beginning? It's super cute!

[@Dave1507]

It's a psychi sweatshirt. The one on their homepage has a slightly different colour sceme though.

[@Epm21]

@@Dave1507 thank you!!

[@leaps5553]

I also climb in the women's Skwama....wondering how squished are your toes in the end of them? After an hour or so I find I can't stand on small footholds as it's too painful however you always look very comfortable! My biggest issue with shoes is finding one that the heel isn't baggy. I was recommended the skwamas as possibly one of the slimmest heel on the market, although I still have space in there. Have you had this issue/do you know of any slimmer ones?

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I’m pretty lucky that I can get away with a fairly generous size and still find the heel feels okay, but defiantly a touch roomy! The size I wear for my sessions is a little roomier than I feel most people would go for so that’s likely why! I generally always opt for comfort over slightly more performance.

[@finnplanb3]

scarpa maestro! had baggy heels in every shoe tried til these

[@wsun7413]

Skwama's heel cup is on the big side in my opinion. For a narrower heel within la sportiva, go for theory (woman) instead. Otherwise, switch to 5.10 or scarpa.

[@abimroczynska9899]

have got pretty flat heels and get on really well with the scarpa instinct or evolv shaman, maybe worth a try?

[@ludoaesthetics]

okay but how did you do on the yellow slab with your usual shoes??

[@meamjustme]

I tried the rentals the first time i went climbing. There was a volume that you had to start on. Angled down and back to the wall so your toes pointed down. Could not even stand still. Just kept slipping of. Second time i went i bought my own shoes knowing i would be back quite often. Just some Tarantula's. Could do that climb no problem. The grip was quite a big difference from the grey sole rentals. But i do see people climb harder climbs than what i can do for now. Been climbing 3 times though. So not to worried about that. XD

[@weebrahim]

Awesome series

[@jeffrey8370]

Those are really good rental climbing shoes! I'm thinking of getting the Women's Skwama and was wondering what size yours was compared to your street shoe size? How do the toes and heel feel when you're stepping on holds?

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I down size a full size in my Skwamas or they feel a little roomy in the heel. The toe is usually okay, but I do notice bagginess in the the arch and heel so I’d recommend going down for sure!

[@jeffrey8370]

Thanks, Hannah! I'll try them on a size down. The Men's Skwama felt the best so far but a bit of space in the heel. Finding a shoe that fits both the toes and heel has been a pain. Love your videos and awesome to see your climbing progression!

[@giorgiacanali5457]

I have the same women sqwama and I also downsized one full size. I also had the red and yellow ones (which are for men apparently but I have large foot) and I downsized 1.5 size. So I usually have 40 for sneakers, I got 39 for Hanna's model and 38.5 for the yellow one, but I do préfère the women model

[@thesii213]

Do these have actual climbing rubber and not the weird gray rubber of a lot of rentals? If so, then they might actually be pretty solid. "Beginner" shoes with real climbing rubber and a good fit are surprisingly competent even at higher grades.

[@lbzkBMF]

Nice flash on that first pink route. I was not able to send it last night, so will try your beta now and see how it goes :)

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Good luck with it!

[@bunny-nn1oo]

Those are some fancy rentals! Where I live you get some no-name run-down shoes with a grey, non-sticky sole :D

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I'm realising through these comments that the rentals at the Depot are great!

[@ohmm3625]

I climb in the slightly better version of these, old velocity, just very tight, and they perform really well apart from edging on very small holds. Like someone else said if you've got good flexibility in the toes and ankle the amount of contact you can get when smearing with flat shoes is amazing and the main reason I don't climb in downturned shoes. I think there is an argument for letting the shoe do some of the work though as climbing is pretty tough on your feet and anything that preserves them in good health is probably a better idea

[@louisawolf9078]

How much pain is good? How many sizes smaller should I buy my next pair of climbing shoes? Having my eyes on the unparallel ones

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Hopefully the next video will be super helpful then 🤗

[@lecorny007]

I've actually managed to sent a V6 with a pair of really beat up and out dated mad rock rentals, the soles has next to no rubber left. It was extremely tough but not impossible.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Congrats on the send!

[@adamrogerson914]

Hannah, have you ever climbed at last sun dance in Leeds?

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I have! Great gym :)

[@daniwalmsley611]

I think the main two reasons a beginner should get their own shoe is savings on rental cost, and fit/comfort. There's also an argument for getting really soft shoes as a beginner to build foot strength whilst your learning techniques instead of relying on the stiffness of the shoe to help you

[@schnibbelschnibbel]

Robbie Phillips has a bunch of videos on his channel about different types of climbing shoes and what kinds of footholds they’re designed for. Might be a good source of inspiration.

[@phillewis3108]

Climbing these days is incredible. 30 years ago, when I last climbed, everything was on slab and vert. I remember the first overhang wall in the area was Glossop sports hall, which was bendcrete. And it was brutal. I was climbing about 6a-b on slab and vertical, but couldn’t even hold on for 2 seconds at Glossop until I trained about 3 months on a fingerboard. Now it seems beginner V0 is straight into overhang! It’s both impressive and disappointing. I feel I’d enjoy climbing slabs again, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to visit a modern climbing wall, as I’ll simply never get off the ground 😢

[@beric0bartman]

There's usually plenty of Slab areas in indoor gyms, a vertical wall hasnt changed for 30 years so you'll be able to try again on those haha.

[@phillewis3108]

@@beric0bartman I have managed to do a bit. Managed to pick up an injury (not climbing, gardening if all things), but hoping to get back to it soon. Soon nice slabs and vertical walls at Depot Manchester. I even managed a V0 at about 80° 😂

[@mikew.6897]

I often feel like downsizing doesn't really do much except for hurting you. Having simply a tight fitting shoe is more important than having these "high performance downsized shoes" that leave you with squeezed toes. Would you agree and confirm this? :)

[@AstrumG2V]

From personal experience, downsizing helps a lot to achieve that tight fit. I cant wear La Sportiva above a size 40, even though my feet are 41.7, it leaves too much room, especially once they've finished stretching.

[@gaiaiulia]

My son bought a size down in Scarpa. They're even too small for me and my feet are the same size as the shoes.

[@franCiska8799]

HI hannah ! I Hoped you have reviewed your sportiva skwamas. I have been climbing one year now , and I am looking for more agressive shoes. My first option is the skwama model . Could you do a video on why the skwamas, and why you did not opte for others models like the solutions? Anyways, love your videos ! Greetings

[@rosareyes9980]

I'm on my second pair and it's honestly my favorite. I do have the evolve zenist that I use for slabbier/ slopier routes that require my toes/foot to be more flush with the hold since the skwamas have quite a bit of an arch on the toe

[@franCiska8799]

Thank you for your answer Rosa !

[@benji8690]

i have flat feet, so even in like not at all downturned shoes, my heels dont actually reach the bottom of the heel box on my shoes. I suck so i've never actually tried a heel hook enough times to see how it would effect it, but i think its kinda funny.

[@milspectoothpick4119]

I dunno if I'd even consider them "rental shoes" in terms of expected quality. Scarpa Forces are something you'd actually consider buying as a climber and when people think of rental sports equipment I think there is a certain expectation that it's something that's not really worth buying for yourself. TL;DR: $160 brand name climbing shoes are not what most people expect to get when getting rentals; lol. They're better than the Origins I got to start off with, haha.

[@BigDickMark]

Your gym has better rental shoes than mine - my gym has these formless no name shoes. My beginner shoe was actually the Scarpa Force and my husband's boyfriend's was the Scarpa Force V!

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I can’t knock them for a beginner shoe, I was really pleasantly surprised with how I found them to climb in! 😊

[@Will-kt5jk]

Similar, mine has some rather old Evolv model (can’t find that shape on sale any more) - totally flat, heavily warn, no kind of edges, hard to trust on volumes & if a hold is warn has a little chalk, there’s no chance. Not that I can’t have a good time in them, just some things are not do-able (incl. some of the sit starts). Trying to find a decent fit in some beginner shoes of my own though.

[@giorgiacanali5457]

These are really good rental shoes. We have crappy ones I'm my climbing gym, with red rubber. I think the brand is 6b! Anyway, I think footwork is everything! Soes don't count too much as long as you're confortable and have good rubber. I saw people climbing very very hard problems in decathlon 30€ shoes which are horrendous BTW!

[@RealWorldClimbing]

The longer I climb, the less I want painful shoes. My indoor and training shoes are basically snug tennis shoes for me. And my try hard shoes are a tiny bit smaller and downturned, but not overly painful by any means.

[@justapenoindex]

this is so good to hear! i climbed like 5 times now, and i need to use rentals as big as loose sneakers, beacuse i get a really painful pressure point on top of my big toe as soon as my toe gets close to the front of the shoe :S

[@williamgoddard-pantic2072]

Best recommendation for wide feet?

[@aschmidty11]

Main thing I want to know is where I can get that sweatshirt from? lol

[@jinluwang5671]

I made my first V4 in beginner shoes, although I am still a beginner struggling on V3's. 😅

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Nice work! :)

[@AstrumG2V]

That's a very good rental xD almost all gyms here have the madrock ones with the grey rubber, ugh!

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I’m realising that I got super lucky with those rentals - will have to repeat the challenge! 😀

[@SunnyMorningPancakes]

Last Sun Dance in Leeds have the grey soled rental shoes. They also have the plywood 'shiny' walls. I have ice skated and felt more friction than that combination. Infact the terror of that session was the thing that spurred me on to buy my own shoes.

[@Crazyoldman84]

what's the point of grading something for example v5-v7 it's just a v5 then really?

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I quite like the ranges - it makes trying the new grade feel a bit more accessible. Though I do get that it's a wide range!

[@Crazyoldman84]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering I understand it more at higher ranges but yes v5-v7 is a massive jump in my gym

[@jonnes__4657]

🗽I'm going to change my Scarpa Instinct VSR shoes to cheap comfortable shoes... 👊 Try a slab with small foot holds and where you need more friction. These shoes are training your body tension. .

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

That’s so true, I hadn’t thought about it in that way!

[@hannibal3143]

You have scarpa shoes for rental shoes at your gym?! I don't know the name of the rental shoes my gym uses, but they're awful.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I was pretty pleasantly surprised. Sounds like I’ll have to redo the test with the full rental experience! 🤓

[@bbd1254]

Hannah!!! Please review the shark 3.0! ❤

[@constantinosschinas4503]

Rental shoes are many times extremely bad brands/worn out/delaminated, so pretty useless. If they are new and they fit your foot ok, then they generally perform ok as well. It is only at our limit and on specific footholds that shoes really play a role, and even then, many times you can adapt.

[@McVollman]

19:23 i actually laughed so hard right here. you had like 4 different emotions in one, it was cute and sad to watch at the same time XD

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Haha watched it back and had a good laugh too. Climbing in a nutshell ☺️

[@Spikeupine]

Better than the rental shoes at my first gym, I legitimately bought my first pair of shoes because all the rental shoes in my size had holes in them

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Hope you’re getting on better with shoes of your own! 💪

[@Cheifio]

Those shoes look a lot better than the ones you get at the gyms I go to. Although, your climbing looks like its gone to the next level so maybe you are just making them look good.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Thank you! Feeling a bit more confident on the wall these days and looking forward to a winter of training! 🤓

[@sarahaddy1746]

I love how shocked you seemed 😆

[@j2th31]

When I ask the gym owner to help me see a beta on a route, he sends them wearing flipflops… Then, in my climbing shoes, I’m like “It’s not the shoes, dude…” LOL

[@flamebeard10339]

I mean, I think the real comparison is overhangs vs slabs not grade. Those are branded rental shoes, rubber is rubber is rubber. My gym has these unbranded brown loafers. Feels like wearing a sock

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Next challenge : how hard can I climb in socks. To be fair, the rentals at the Depot are pretty high quality compared with what you sometimes get! Definitely made me realise shoes make very little different in lots of cases!

[@flamebeard10339]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering LMAO. That would be absolutely epic! Cheers

[@smashbadger2460]

Has to be pointed out that the Scarpa Force isn't technically a rental shoe. Depots just get better shoes than average for rentals. That is a 100 quid shoe.

[@rorytippett8345]

It seems like to me u give up to fast u try one move and if it doesn't go as planned u just stop. Would love to see u go full send mode. Where u are taking wipers because u are climbing your hardest.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I have a couple of projects on the go at the moment, I just haven't set aside time to film them for full videos. :)

[@ania96157]

I feel like the rented shoes you used were above average. The rental shoes at my local gym are horrible

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I feel like you're right! I should have to redo the test with actually bad rentals!

[@picasadeluxe]

looks fantastic and expensive. hopefully the admission card is not a mission impossible for low budget climbers like me ! LOL

[@relentlessjpg]

When do more aggressive shoes that making a difference

[@hydra66]

Your feet were probably saying, "These shoes are more comfy than what you normally wear."

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I can’t lie, they kind of were!

[@stevethach3340]

Alright so I use rental shoes and this video definitely just confirmed that I'm just bad lol

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Noooooo. These rentals were just better than usual! 😎😎

[@V8chump]

5:20 not an issue against you of course! But how do gyms get away with “v2-v5” those two grades are WORLDS apart, how is that even possible 🤣

[@leeprice133]

Agreed!! Why the heck do they grade like that? My gym is like 0-1, 1-2 etc.

[@V8chump]

@@leeprice133 my gym is straight up v1, v2, v3 etc…. Every other gym nearby is 0-1, 2-3 etc but gyms that do that tend to be wildly soft… I just went to a new gym like that sent all but 4 climbs 😵‍💫. I’ve been climbing since April, So far I hit v8 as projects

[@SunnyMorningPancakes]

It's quite common in the north of England from what I can tell. All of the Depots do it (and for top rope they don't grade anything below a 6a specifically so it will just say 4 or 5 on the wall which isn't always helpful) Red Goat in York have V1-V3 and V2-V4 etc, FreekLime do the same. I'm not saying I like it. I'm just saying it's common.

[@ChocolatTherapy]

to me it honestly seems like these shoes (or another good flat shoe) is a much better fit for you

[@neaituppi7306]

I don't climb in "climbing shoes" It is just one of those expensive accessories that make it easier to climb.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Interesting! What do you climb in? 😊

[@neaituppi7306]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering Most of my climbing is outdoors now, where we moved, because there is boulders no more than 20 to 30 feet high by the beach. And there is no climbing gyms near this area. So I just tried to find regular shoes that were flexible. I am still pretty much a beginner. I was in CO which had a lot of rock climbing gyms. But I still didn't really get much chance to go to them.

[@joeorlando7810]

Great video, but gotta admit compared to the gym I go to these grades are awfully soft IMO

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I find it’s super difficult to tell without knowing the setting style and holds but it’s absolutely a skill to be able to read hold types and angles!

[@AhojKrause]

These shoes are just normal soft and flat climbing shoes. Rental shoes have much harder rubber. Most of the time they also have a label with shoe size. Probs to this gym giving out good shoes but not good for a comparison

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

I got really lucky with the rental shoe options! I’ll have to redo the test with a pair of ACTUAL rentals to see how they compare! :)

[@AhojKrause]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering embrace your self, slipping is coming

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

@@AhojKrause ahah I'm NOT READY

[@quitx8028]

I always tell to my friends, buy climbing shoes QUICK. It will open to new world of climbing that they never knew about. :)

[@quitx8028]

And yes my gym have really horrible rent shoes!

[@BasicThought]

I’d love to climb with you, too bad I’m a whiles away.

[@itsrachelbuasuwan]

find something with loads of volumes 😮😮

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Eeeeeeek 😳

[@ioidt]

'rental climbing shoes' should have been the title instead , imo

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Changed the title because the consensus was that the rental shoes at Depot aren’t really rentals, but fairly decent, entry level shoes.

[@ioidt]

@@hannahmorrisbouldering Thanks for the reply. imo, the 'rental' shoes had lots of different size of feet in there, and the stretched shoes may not fit as personal 'beginner' shoes. I clicked on this as i was trying to get info on if i should upgrade from 'personal' beginner shoes to next level. Good post though. Thanks again! (Havenot been to UK yet to try out Depot)

[@MsSchokohoernchen]

While I enjoyed the overall video, could you please tune down the breathing sound, I found it pretty antagonising

[@BigDickMark]

I find Hannah's breathing peaceful. I listen to it on loop to help me fall asleep.

[@user-uz5kp4dy1g]

As someone new to climbing, your videos have always been very approachable and thoughtful. They're a wonderful resource! Also: You're so strong!!! Watching you pull yourself up on that first purple was amazing.

[@hannahmorrisbouldering]

Thank you so much! I’m really glad you find the videos usual, and hope you’re loving climbing so far. ☺️